Month: February 2022

Domain, website and email: how they are similar and how they differ

Posted on by Comunicació

When we talk about the internet there are some related concepts which can cause confusion between them. While plenty of people know what a domain is, some might not realise that registering one does not give you a website. People may also confuse a URL address with an email address.

What is a domain?

A domain name is simply the name we choose for our website. Technically, it is a ‘translation’ using words that are easy to remember and which correspond to an IP address where all the information on our website is hosted. This IP address is a very long unique number, which we essentially substitute with the domain name. Consequently, the domain name must also be the only one of its kind in the world. An example of a domain would be mercat.barcelona.

Does registering a domain mean we have a website?

No. If we register a domain, we have only registered what we want to call ourselves on the network (domain name). If we want a website, we must rent space where it will be housed. To do this we need to acquire space on the server where we will save all the files that make up our website. We do this through a web hosting company.

So, what is the difference between a domain and a website?

The domain is the name we write in the browser, while the website is the page itself. In other words, all the information it contains: files, texts and images.

And email?

An email address is the address we use to send and receive emails, from a webmail or an email management programme such as Outlook. This service is provided from an email server. The email address very often includes the domain name, as most web servers offer the option of registering email addresses too. This way we can manage everything from the same domain management panel.

An email address differs from a website address as it has the symbol @ in the middle. This separates the name of the recipient from the email domain. For instance, if our domain is mercat.barcelona, the email address could be info@mercat.barcelona. We can register as many email addresses as we wish or as many as our server allows.

The geoTLD group welcomes .miami and .boston

Posted on by Comunicació

The geoTLD group came together for a virtual meeting on 10 February, enabling members to get up to date with the latest in the sector and draft the activity and management plan for 2022. The group also used the session to welcome the new domains of .miami and .boston, the two newcomers bringing the number of geoTLD members around the world to 37.The meeting was also a chance for geoTLDs to prepare for the upcoming ICANN 73, an open virtual gathering to be held from 7 to 10 March.

But how relevant are these meetings for internet users? To answer this, we should take a look at the bodies mentioned and how important each one is.

  • The ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): a non-profit corporation to benefit the public, with participants from all over the world. This body manages the assignation of domain names and addresses for the IP protocol.
  • Domain Name System (DNS): all internet domains operate with the DNS. Users access information online using domain names rather than IP addresses because it is much easier to remember the name of a website than a ten-digit number.

One of the most common issues relating to the security and stability of DNS is abuse. Malicious practice is based on registering domains which make reference to people, companies or recognised brands with the intention of the targeted party paying out money to get their domain back.

  • geoTLD (Geographic Top-Level Domain): one initiative by the ICANN was to set up top-level domains. These include geoTLDs, a type of high-level domain to serve and represent geographical areas, languages or cultures. They includes geographical names such as .barcelona; geographical indicators such as .nyc (New York City) and names of geographical origin, such as .cat. GeoTLDs also allow for the use of characters which are unique to each language, such as Arabic or Chinese symbols.

LGBTI Centre: a pioneering space for sexual and gender diversity

Posted on by Comunicació

Located at Carrer del Comte Borrell, 22, the Barcelona LGBTI Centre is a leading facility in the sphere of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersexual) and uses the .barcelona domain as part of its communication strategy.

The centre offers guidance, advice and direct support, as well as giving a voice to artistic expression and collective action. To ensure all types of assistance for its users, the centre has specialists in psychology, social work, law, healthcare, community management and more. It also has its own protocol for tackling LGBTI-phobic aggression, in conjunction with municipal services such as the Office for Non-Discrimination, the Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre and the Prosecution Service for Hate Crimes.

Cultural and awareness programme

The centre is also a place for artistic expression and standing up for the historical memory of the LGBTI movement. To this end, it hosts exhibitions, discussion cycles, lectures, debates, performing arts shows, screenings and reading clubs, details of which can be found at centrelgtbi.barcelona. One example is the “Corporalitats” cycle being held until the end of April, offering a series of activities to explore bodily diversity in all its joyful resilience, such as the photography exhibition “Les corps incorruptibles”, by Emilie Hallard, a declaration of feminist, queer and anti-racist love. Besides these photos, the centre is also offering mini-videos of the documentary “Famílies Trans*”, by Mar Llop, a project giving a voice to 29 families bringing up children according to their felt gender.

Over 1,200 square metres of multi-purpose space

With its 1,254 square metres of space, the LGBTI Centre offers a welcome and information area, a display area with a regular programme open to all, an auditorium with a capacity for 100 people, a healthcare area, a family area and five rooms for meetings, counselling, training and workshops.

The centre is managed by the Platform for Catalan LGBTI Organisations, the federation that brings together various LGBTI rights entities. Their volunteer work and initiatives give the centre vitality.